OverGrip

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I have been reading about and trying the overgrip technique, but i am struggling to figure out how you can grab the front brake with your hand in the overgrip position. I have been watching the supercross and can see all the riders with overgrip so it must be a good technique to use and will help you have the throttle pinned with your body leaning over the front of the bike. But i struggle to pull the front brake with your arm so high in the overgrip position. Any replys appreciated. Thanks.

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I have been reading about and trying the overgrip technique, but i am struggling to figure out how you can grab the front brake with your hand in the overgrip position. I have been watching the supercross and can see all the riders with overgrip so it must be a good technique to use and will help you have the throttle pinned with your body leaning over the front of the bike. But i struggle to pull the front brake with your arm so high in the overgrip position. Any replys appreciated. Thanks.

Having the proper grip on the handle grips is extremely important. For a pro it’s as natural as putting his hands in the pockets of his or her well worn loose fitting pair of pants. For the untrained beginner it may be as unnatural as putting his hands into the pockets of a skin tight pair of pants. There is one basic way to hold onto the grips and there are two different positions to hold on. The one basic way is to hold the grips like you’re grabbing onto a door knob to open the door. To better understand this technique go and open a door. Notice how you use your hand, wrist and forearm to hold onto and turn the door knob. Now go sit on the M/C and grab the grips the same way; from the outside. This will automatically position the elbows to the outsides. This opens your upper body up way more for better movement and leverage over the M/C.

Now let’s take a look at the two different grip positions. Over grip (regrip) is for accelerating. When in the proper over grip the top of your hands are a little steeper then your wrist and forearms. Your wrist and forearms should be at about a 45 degree angle to the ground. This means that your wrists are bent a little so while your forearms are at a 45 degree angle your hands are over gripping a little more from there. This way you have the freedom to move into the forward body position whether sitting or standing for accelerating. You can also work the throttle without your arm, elbow and shoulder dropping way down. You can work overtop of the M/C; even in front of the handlebars a little if needed. Without this over grip this would be impossible.

The other grip position is for braking. This is a little lower than the over grip (regrip) position. When braking your hands, wrists and forearms have to be lined up straight so you have strength to take force against the handlebars; especially over the braking bumps. If you remained in the over grip position your wrist would buckle and your body position could easily be thrown too far forward; maybe even over the handlebars; leaving your face riding on the front fender just before you go all the way over and hit the ground while knocking the wind out of yourself. Trust me; I know; I’ve done it.

Since there are 2 different grip positions you have to know and practice how and when to change. It's very easy to adjust your over grip to the slightly lower braking grip position. However, changing from the braking grip position to the over grip (called the regrip) takes some time to master. The main reason it's more difficult is because you have to control the front brake at the same time. Make sure your front brake lever is adjusted a little lower than your clutch. Just before finishing your braking do the regrip. As you get on the gas let your finger slip off the front brake.

Just like any of the techniques you have to understand this technique, be able to do this technique correctly and do it correctly over and over again until it becomes natural and automatic, until it becomes an automatic reflex reaction; running on auto pilot, my man, auto pilot.

Repetition is the mother of skill; the more you do something the better you get at it. Just make sure you’re doing it over and over again the correct way. Developing bad habits is a waste to time and then you end up spending even more time unlearning them and changing them to the correct habits.